Collapsible reel.



No. 811,899. PATENTED FEB. a, 1906. A. BILLSTEIN. GOLLAPSIBLE REEL.

APPLICATION IILBD JULY 14, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

No. 811,899. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906. A. BILLSTEIN. OOLLAPSIBLE REEL.

APPLIOATIONIILED JULY 14, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i run.

AARON BILLSTEIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE FRIEDENVVALDCOMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OFMARYLAND.

COLLAPSlBLE REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed July 14,1905. Serial No. 269,696-

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AARON BILLSTEIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Collapsible Reels, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of the present invention is to produce a reel which issuitable for receiving cord, tape, braid, and like articles, which isinexpensive, and which. may be collapsed when not in use and is thusespecially adapted for shipping and storage.

The invention will be described in detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a p crspective view of areel embodying the invention and having a plurality of transversemembers. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a reel or spool having a singletransverse member. Fig. 3 is a half plan view of the blank for formingone of the transverse members. Fig. 3 is a half plan view of the samefolded and collapsed in the form in which it is shipped or stored. Fig.4 is a plan view of the reel or spool shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is asection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3 showing one of the transverse members collapsed.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 indicates the side or flangemembers of a reel, and 2 the transverse members. There may be as many ofthe transverse members as desired, depending upon the size andproportions of the reel desired. Each of the transverse memberscomprises, preferably, a collapsible tube having means for interlockingits ends with the flange members. These transverse members arepreferably constructed from blanks,such as are illustrated. in Fig. 3,which are adapted to fold up into stiff rectangular tubes. The blank, asshown, comprises the body portion 3, having a side flap 4, which isgummed to the opposite side flap 4 to form the tube. The blank issuitably scored to fold into the rectangular form shown, for instance,in Fig. 1. Connected to the ends of one sidc,which may be termed thebottom, are the end flaps 5, having notches 6 and ears 7. In theopposite side of the tube, which may be termed the top, are wide slits 8in the form of three sides of a rectangle. The tongues 9 are preferablyleft intact with the box. The opening formed by the slit 8 is preferablywide enough to per mit of the insertion of the finger of the opera torwho assembles the reel. Two flaps 10, in

line with. and of equal width to the edges of i members, which slots aresufficiently long to receive the tongues 5 and wide enough. to permitthe tongues to be readily passed through them. The transverse membersare made andv stored until ready for use in a knockdown or collapsedcondition, the margins at being secured together by paste or othersuitable mcans, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Whenit is desired to assemblea reel, the transverse member is made to assume a rectangularcrosssection by pressing the edges together, and the end folds 10 arethen turned in to close and stiffen the ends of the tube. Each tongue 5is then passed successively through the two slots in one of the sidemembers, and the extremity of the tongue is then pushed through therectangular opening formed by the slit 8. The ears 7 are easily passedthrough said rectangular opening, and they separate, as illustrated inFig. 1, and securely lock the flap to the flange member. In this way thetubular member is readily and securely locked to the side members, andlikewise the side members tend to preserve the rectangular form of thetubular member and. prevent its collapsing.

Two or more tubular members may be used in one reel, and reels of largesize may thus be formed. Small reels or spools may have a single tubularmember, as shown in Fig. 2.

tions between the said members and the flanges.

It will be evident that the broad features of my invention may beembodied in various forms, and it is therefore to be understood that Ido not limit myself to the precise details illustrated and described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible reel comprising two side plates or flanges and aplurality of transverse collapsible tubular members connected attheirends to said plates or flanges.

2. A collapsible reel comprising two side plates or flanges and aplurality of transverse collapsible tubular members, said flanges andputiular members being constructed to inter- 3. A collapsible reelcomprising a pair of flange members each having two slots therein and atubular connecting-member having at each end a flap passing through saidslots, said flap having its end connected to said tu-. bular member.

4. A collapsible reel comprising two flangesections, each section beingprovided with two slots, in combination. with a tubular transversemember having at each end a flap adapted to pass out through one slot ina flange member and in through the other slot therein, and said flaphaving at its free end ears which engage an opening in the body of thetubular member.

5. A collapsible reel comprising two flange members provided with pairsof parallel slots and a transverse member consisting of a collapsibletube provided at its ends with tongues for interlocking with the slotsin the flange tongues in engagement with the flange members.

6. In a collapsible reel comprising a pair of flange members and aplurality of tubular collapsible transverse members, said tubularmembers having flaps adapted to interlock with the flange members.

7. A collapsible reel comprising flange members and transverse tubularmembers having openings therein adapted to receive the finger of anoperator, flaps on the ends of said .tnbular members adapted tointerlock with the flange members, and adapted to be pushed through theopenings by the finger of the op erator and having ears to interlockwith the said tubular member.

8. In a collapsible reel, a collapsible tubular member having the endflaps 5 and 10 at each end whereby the ends may be closed and renderedsecure and having the slits 8 forming enlarged openings near the endsadapted to receive the ends of the flaps 5, said flaps having the ears 7adapted to interlock with the slits 8 for the purpose set forth.

9. A reel comprising two side plates or flanges, each having a pluralityof pairs of slots therein, and a plurality of tubular transverse memberseach adapted to be securely interlocked at its ends with the flangemembers, said tubular members being collapsible, for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

AARON BILLSDEIN /Vitnesses:

J. J. lVHITE,

members and with means for locking the said R. M. STEER.

